Naara
"Ah, the sons of Nar! Surely the most friendly and hospitable people of this land; that is, if you are interested in doing business..." The Nation of Naara, previously known as the Naaran Empire, now know as the 'Kingdom of Naara '(or Nar for some), is a merchant nation located in the tip of the Arm in the continent of Pannalan, west of the Mal Gabah desert. It's realm consists of the five Islands of the Hand: Nar, Orvina, Amade, Varu and Hassir as well as one hundred eleven square miles of the tip of the mainland. History Foundation The third Nation, Naara, began as a colony for the Empire of Lithos up north, under the supervision of prince Loeh Mennoke. It held only the islands of Nar and, later, Orvina, and the nearby tip of the main continent and was known simply as the Nar province. Loeh began expanding the settlements inwards across the southern bay of the continent. As this expansion enfolded, Loeh believed that the land had potential as an independent realm rather than just an exploitation colony, so, in secret he ordered the building of several enterprises and started manipulating shipments in the colony's favor so he could, one day, break the province free from imperial hold. Backwater trades also became common as the Naaran prices were far more acessible for lesser classes than the imperial ones. These trades would mark the beggining of Nar's settlement as an economic culture among Pannalan. Back home, in Stronghold, Emperor Saandro Mennoke would never normaly accept Naara's defection lightly, but at the time his concerns were elsewhere. However, Loeh timed his rebellion with an internal conflict crisis developing in the Imperial court. When Saandro received news of Naara's self-proclaimed independence, his hands were tied. From the corruption and discord that had settled in the court, to the dire economical troubles in the empire; he couldn't even convince his generals to organize an army against them. Warring with Naara would, no doubt, cause a larger dent to imperial power than to the defectors, as their army was already reasonably sized and equipped, and Nar was the most prosperous region in the continent. Saandro had sent many soldiers, supplies and equipment; only to have them be turned against him. This meant, that not only had Naara established itself as a new nation, it also did so having one of the most powerful armies of the time and an extensive trade network across the Arm and the Independant realms. They were a force to be feared. Shortly afterwards, Saandro would be assassinated and Loeh would be ridden of his greatest enemy while receiving an ally as a result: his younger brother, Hora Mennoke, became the next emperor. Loeh was no longer a legal heir. The death of the previous emperor provided Loeh with the freedom to move on to his next step undisputed: claiming the Mal Gabah desert and beyond. It would take eighteen more years, but Naara would expand beyond Mal Gabah; Although they most likely ignored the inner sections of the desert, concentrating on populating the other side rather than occupying the desert itself. They would come to build several cities as far as the Kamur river (near of which the city of Mhera was built) This defined the Naaran eastern border and expanded Loeh's domains to it's largest size during his reign. The Empire The Saban Scourge The Kingdom Culture Relations